Hey Cav....?

I would suggest the free range salmon. Buy two good sized boneless filets or bone-in steaks. Mix together a little dijon, fresh dill and olive oil, salt and pepper, coat the fish, and then you can sear them on the stovetop. Start with the presentation side down, sear in a little extra olive oil, and don't try to flip it until it gets a bit golden. If the oil is hot enough, you probably won't need more than about 3 minutes searing per side. Salmon can be served a bit pink. With cooking salmon, it's not about losing nutrients, it can just be a bit dry if overcooked. Gotta run, but I'll check in later.

you can dry it out?? ooo... good thing I asked first!


Does salmon have a real heavy 'fish' taste?
Is dill a good basic herb to use all the time with cooking?
what about side dishes? what does its flavor match?

Salmon doesn't have the same fishy taste/smell as a very oily fish like mackerel, herring or sardines but is certainly stronger in flavour than most "white" fish (cod, haddock).

Salmon is highly versatile - from sashimi and sushi to poached whole salmon served cold, via pan-fried as Cav sensibly suggests.

As simple sides, I suggest some fresh spinach, wilted down with just a little lemon juice, salt, pepper and a twist of nutmeg and some "new" or mashed potatoes.

Dill is a great herb for fish - works with smoked salmon (lox) very well, too.

Good luck - let us know how it goes.

KP

Salmon my favorite - eat daily

Poached salmon is good too. Back later...

Oooh, and grilled salmon with remoulade sauce,
and salmon mousse is wonderful..

ohh yum.
this sounds sooo good.

Have you ever tried purple potatos kitchen??
They are wonderful. Full of flavor and make a pretty addition to any dish.

I boil them and put them in a potato salad with red boiling potatoes, big bella green olives, grilled sweet red peppers (not grilled 'til soft in this case), capers, and dressing, once in a while.

Oh, and perhaps some thin sliced red onion..

yum.
what is a bella olive?
Have you ever tried clamata olives?
I LOVE those. I use those with cubes tofu, on salads, pizzas, hmm.. you name it.

Salmon is not only versatile, but "bi" in terms of wine. It pairs nicely both with a rich white, or a light red, especially Pinot Noir. Poached salmon is very good as well, for a lighter style, but that would require making a court-boullion. I think you should start with the simple stuff. If you have a BBQ, salmon also grills quite well. Just make sure you buy skin-on filets.

I do a great whole poached salmon, well, baked covered with some vermouth, stock, dill, a touch of lemon....I curl it up in an 'S' shape in the pan and stick a small cookie cutter in it's mouth to hold it open so when it is done, it looks like it is swimming. Then, once cold, I scrape all the skin off, and the grey fat. Garnish with layered cucumber slices, lemon wedges, and a simple full-fat sour cream dill dip. The last time someone ordered one, their dog stole the tail right off the platter before the guests arrived.

Purple potatoes are wonderful. You could just add those to a veggie medley, steamed or roasted.

Dill isn't appropriate to use with all fish, but it does work well with salmon and smoked salmon. Beets are also nice with salmon, especially if you want to serve a red wine. Celery root is also good, or even just a simple selection of whatever you like, just steamed.

Bella cerignola, I think. Have to run, back later today.

wow.
THAT sounds wonderfuuull..

( can i just have you cook ?)

So from what I gather, :
Simple pan frying, short periods of time,, ( approx3 mintes)
watch for it drying out!
Dill, olive oil, cold/crisp veggies make great garnish
Olive oil + Dill great staples for cooking salmon
Fresh free range salmon
...
Best sliced thinly? Or thick pieces better for holding flavor , spices.. etc?

http://www.cybercucina.com/ccdocs/products/BC3006.html

(at some markets you can get bellas in green or black, put into plastic containers of different sizes.)

Oh, and I second the acclaim for cav's poached whole salmon, wow...

When you buy the salmon, you should buy it however it's cut. Filets are generally cut into 6-8 oz. pieces, and steaks about the same. I would not suggest slicing it (well, you can't slice the steaks anyway). Just cook it and serve it as is. Also, make sure it is scaled. That's a nasty job if it hasn't been done in the shop. Check the thickness of whatever you buy, at the thickest part. The general rule of thumb is 10 minutes per inch to cook, but salmon can be done in less time. So...3 minutes per side, not just 3 minutes. Other than that, as for sides, warm or cold veggies, almost anything will work.

thanks for your tips!

I am going to attempt a salmon dinner for christmas eve for hubby.
I will let you know if I burn down the house. ;-)

I have some swordfish steaks, I have heard that the preparation is very similar to salmon. Are the two easily substituted?

I have never had swordfish. I have heard that it is really good

I had it at our company holiday party this year for the first time. It was delicious, so a couple of days later I was at a Omaha steaks shop and they had them on sale. I think I paid 12 dollars for four steaks. Just waiting for a good chance to make them. Sometimes it's tough cooking being a bachlor.